I'm still fighting my hedge flail mounting. Last set up was a total failure - twisted far too much for safety - in fact snapped one of the anti sway chains (*)when I tried an experimental lift. Now got some axle mounting brackets and need to modify it for axle mounting but times against me

(* actually the chain link was a lousy weld with little penetration but never the less took a few tons of force to snap)

I'm replacing and securing most of the hydraulic hoses on the tractor. I've replaced about 10 so far. That's taking a little while -- the whole rat's nest was in really bad shape. I'm going to send for some of the longer ones, as having them made up locally is an extravagant gesture. They're about a third the price from online outfits.

After that, I'll need to:

Do the final valve adjustmentMount the gas tank and connect it.Secure the wiringGet the gauges connected properly, and secured in the dashChange the oil filterDrain and refill and bleed the hydraulic system.Secure the radiator (it's loose)Adjust the clutch free pedalMount the sheet metal panels (there seems to be missing frame work forward to attach them to -- probably have to make something).Finish painting

Thanks Andrew! The encouragement and advice here on this very unusual forum always makes it easier to get through the tough parts of a project, when discouragement can creep in. I especially appreciate the help in milling that head when I didn't have enough table travel and you gave suggestions for overhanging the end, and how to start the cut. The head milling worked out really well considering it was technically beyond the capacity of the mil.

Hi Steve, very interesting thread and will be a useful bit of kit too , I had an old Grey Fergie TEF20 at one point and was wanting to get various impliments for it but never got past a flail mower in the end.

I've finally been using the Ford -- here (yesterday) clearing a turnaround for our so-called driveway -- something I've wanted for years. Here headed uphill in somewhat thick going. At the top I'll cut in the site for the new cistern I'll be building to tide us over for future drought(s).

I did clear up to that spot yesterday, but it rained all day today (naturally -- I'm working on a drought project) so I burned brush instead. I've been unable to do that because open fires had been banned. But with the two rains in the past week and a wet day all day today, it seemed a safe bet. I happened to see our local fire chief at the country store this morning when I was getting a cup of coffee, and asked him if it was okay to burn. He said, sure is!. He'd had 10 calls this morning asking the same thing, and was planning to burn brush himself today!

Just a few more photos to show how well the Ford has worked out. It starts instantly -- head problems are a thing of the past -- it's been working hard pulling three big (20") pine stumps out of the ground, pulling out a dozen logs buried by the former owner of this land, a logging company:

Since everything is a slope here I had to dig down about 3 feet on the high side to get a level base for the new cistern. This is undisturbed earth, no fill. The backhoe worked well to cut in fairly evenly: I hardly had to use a shovel,

The whole site -- foundation dig on right, road straight ahead, buried stuff piled on left. I was able to cut in the turnaround road, pull out concrete and log rubble, pull stumps, and dig the foundation on 10 gallons of gas. It was truly a jungle out there to start. Compare how it looks here with the way it was in the picture last post, when I was working on adding the road.

All in all very happy with my cobbled together tractor with the blown head and mismatched front end loader. It's finally doing what I want!